| Year | Enslaved Black Population According to Tax Records | # of Enslavers | Total Population (mostly excludes Native Americans) |
| 1825 | 443 | 1,800 | |
| 1834 | ≈2,000 | 24,700 | |
| 1838 | 5,786 | 1,049 | |
| 1840 | 11,827 | 2,163 | |
| 1844 | 22,852 | 3,399 | |
| 1846 | 30,505 | ||
| 1848 | 40,308 | ||
| 1850 | 48,145 (58,161 according to census) | 7,747 | 212,592 (includes 397 non enslaved Blacks) |
| 1851 | 58,740 | ||
| 1852 | 68,584 | ||
| 1853 | 78,306 | ||
| 1854 | 90,003 | ||
| 1855 | 105,186 | ||
| 1856 | 113,139 | ||
| 1857 | 124,782 | ||
| 1858 | 146,370 | ||
| 1860 | 160,467 (182,566 according to census) | 21,878 | 604,215 (only 153,043 of these were born in Texas) |
| 1861 | 169,166 | ||
| 1862 | 186,884 | ||
| 1864 | 240,099 (≈275,000 according to full data) |
| Year | Total Enslaved Population | Costs/Values of Enslaved People |
| 1836 | 5K (20-25% of pop) | average $575
($15K USD 2013) |
| 1845 | 30K (25% of pop) | average $345
($11K USD 2013) |
| 1850 | 58K (30% of pop) | average $400
($12K USD 2013) “prime field hand” $1,200 ($37K USD 2013) skilled/blacksmiths $2000 ($62K USD 2013) |
| 1860 | 183K (30% pop) | average $800
($23K USD 2013) |
See also:
- “You know, I really don’t know my history”: Historical Memory, Slavery, and Plantation Day [Preview]
- The Rhetoric of Exclusion: Assumed vs. Stated
- Case Study: History, Myth, and Public Schools
- The Most Racist Question (EVER?) on the Texas STAAR Test
- Brazoria County’s Assault of Historical Truth and Enslavement [Preview]
- “You know, I really don’t know my history”: Historical Memory, Slavery, and Plantation Day [Preview]
- The Civil War: Causes, Myths, and Sources with a focus on Brazoria County (Part 2 of 2)
- An Empire for Slavery
Categories: Thoughts and Perspectives
In addition Federal census, what other sources for data?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mostly tax records. These numbers are compiled from a variety of books.
LikeLike
Numbers were always underreported for tax purposes – they want to pay less – but reported at least more correctly for census purposes because they wanted the associated representation
LikeLike
Makes sense. Do you know if can break it down by county. I’d like to start with Harris County. I’m very adept using census records, then want to further look at the property for Harris Co. Damn think about so many names so always forever lost.
LikeLiked by 1 person
This website has some info broken down by counties http://www.texasslaveryproject.org
The book “An Empire For Slavery” has more. Emailing you a PDF of these tables in a second. Keep in mind the info on the tables you’ll get is based on tax records and is a very low number of reality.
LikeLike
OK. Some project … later this semester. Thanks
LikeLiked by 1 person
No more projects for you right now, mister! 😉
LikeLike
I find it really interesting that the slave population increased by more than fifty thousand (1862-1864) during the peak of the civil war. Why do you think that was?
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s because people else where in the South brought their enslaved property to Texas “for safe keeping” until the war was over thinking that Texas was far enough away to secure their property in case of emergency!
LikeLike
Wow! That makes a lot of sense!
LikeLike
I wonder if people even hoped Texas would become its own nation again and maintain enslavement. I need to read up on that particular question.
LikeLike